Friday, November 10, 2006

Sued By Scum

I was going to wait even longer to talk about the Borat film, to give people a chance to see it first. But the main part I wanted to talk about is now making headlines. So I'll talk about it now. Don't read on if you don't want this part of the film spoiled. See the story here.

In the movie, our friend Borat is picked up by an RV containing three frat boys from the University of South Carolina. Now, there is debate as to how much of this film was staged. I personally feel that everyone involved thinks they really are talking to a foreign news reporter, and that they will appear in a documentary. (With the exception of Pamela Anderson, who I believe was in on the joke.) People have to sign release forms in order to be in a movie. So, regardless of what they believed was going on, they all signed the form. The filmmakers may have "staged" certain things, but that doesn't mean the people they came across knew their grand scheme. They may have been "playing along," but in their minds they were playing along with a European guy making a ridiculous movie that no one in America would ever see.

Now, back to the frat boys. These guys showed their true selves, thinking they were among "the guys," not realizing that all of America would witness the scene. They said horrible things about women--classic frat boy bullshit: use 'em and then send 'em packin, ha ha!, and worse. They talked about how they wished black people were slaves. In other words, the crap that a whole lot of people you know say, as long as there are no women or black people around.

As I watched, I was ready to strangle these drunken fools, but I was also giddy. Because it's about time the whole world got to look in on a "private" male lunkhead BS session. It's unfortunate, and anger-inducing, but the behavior of these guys is closer to the rule than the exception.

Where do they learn it from? Look to another segment of the film for the answer: The old dude who agrees with Borat, who basically says, "There are no more slaves, that's good for them, but bad for you, right?"

The frat boys are suing. They claim they were duped, they were purposely boozed up, and they had no idea the film would be seen by the whole country in wide-release. What they are mad about is so telling. I think of it this way: "We were duped."--into saying what we really feel. "They got us drunk."--and that's when our true feelings come out. "We didn't know this was a major motion picture."--or we would've hidden our racism and sexism like we do when blacks or women are around.

You know what I mean? Let's say, for a second, that I was in that RV. And I was totally non-sexist, non-racist. (I am non-racist and non-sexist.) And some guy came on there--first of all, even if I drank, I wouldn't "let" someone get me drunk. It's everyone's choice whether they want to get drunk or not.--and said, "Just say these pre-written horrible, sexist, racist lines," and I, for some reason decided to do it, and then signed a release form saying it was okay to show my performance, and then the movie came out in wide release, and I felt tricked, well...the main thing I'd do would be to tell everyone that that wasn't really me! Right? But these guys, they come out, predictably, I might add, with "We were tricked! We wouldn't have said these things (our true feelings) if we knew everyone would hear it!"

Screw those guys. I am so glad they were exposed. people need to know what Americans are like behind closed doors. The message here: Teach your kids to love others, regardless of sex or race. In public AND in private.

Great job, Sacha Baron Cohen. Even if it comes out that everybody was an actor and it was all fake and even the lawsuit is fake, which I promise you will not be the case, the movie still served its purpose, as far as I'm concerned. Also, it was fucking hilarious.

I visit several different BB sites, more now for the entertainment than the BB content and it is pretty fucking obscene how much drunken cracker bullshite floats about unchecked. As I'm from San Francisco, there is no end to the homophobic crap I see. Who spawned these cretins? I employ tactics of shame and leave it at that. Can't fight the world. Your post is righteous.